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The most intriguing thing about crossing the threshold into a new year can be the uncertainty of what lies ahead. So to help improve our odds of success, we’ll be uncorking 2013 with a Grower Champagne, Inflorescence Blanc de Noirs.
Since we’ve discovered some astonishing examples of these artisanal wines during 2012, why stop now? We’ll ring-in the new year with this bottle from Cédric Bouchard, a producer who's gained an almost rock star status in the wine world.
He’s known for “single-vineyard, single vintage and single-grape bottlings.” (Imperatrice Fine Wines) Bouchard founded his own champagne house, Roses de Jeanne, in 2000 looking “to produce the unique and recognizable champagne wines different from all [of] others.”
The drinking window for maximum enjoyment is open through 2018, but after reading these comments, we just couldn’t wait. We’ll uncork this bottle on the eve of 2013, see if it lives up to the hype, and report back in this post – watch our tweets for an update notice.
“scent of sugary caramel … loved the back-of-the-throat grab”
“good, long finish (can still taste that sip long afterwards)”
“appley, citrus character on first taste”
“yin-yang on my tongue (sweet in front, tart in back)
"All the terroir is here. This is what 2010 tasted like at this vineyard.”
“No one messed with this wine, they just delivered the best of the vineyard’s flavor to our glasses, with a dash of sparkle!”
Not surprisingly, this special Champagne benefits from not being over-chilled. We enjoyed it more as it warmed and opened over a couple of hours. It was the perfect complement to our New Year's Eve plates of salumi, cheeses, and breads – even holding its own with our favorite Boston Cream Pie from Flour Bakery.
We were impressed and can’t wait to discover more gems from the vineyards of Cédric Bouchard – the search is on!
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Our puppy Poppy has been frantically picking up her P-mail on every corner in the neighborhood and she tells us a few of this year's Sunday Dogs have made New Year's Resolutions. (And if they haven't, she's making some for them.)
Now & Future Sunday Dog, King! is growing up to be a big, strong German Shepherd. He has resolved to stay as sweet as he was as a pup and to always remember that he and Poppy are no longer the same size and so to play gently with her.
We told you that Chiquita Loves to Dance! Poppy tells us that Chiquita has resolved to open her own dance studio in 2013 and teach you and your dog how to cha cha, foxtrot, and jitterbug together!
Not only is it true that, Odis “Loves Everyone!” but everyone loves and misses him too. Poppy has sent him a message that he has to get back to his old neighborhood more often. She says we have a great selection of places to get presents!
Not only can Sunday Dog Ollie give Tips on “Being,” but he's also going to spend 2013 writing a book on how to respond like a mature and sensible gentleman when a young neighbor girl has an enormous crush on you.
It should be a best seller among dark and handsome guys like Ollie who have to deal with problems like this from girls like Duchess Poppy.
When you first met Hudson, He didn't need a dog license because he was too young. But, now that he's grown, he has a fan club and people who come to visit him in his shop, Q Optical on Newbury Street. His goal for 2013 is to move up the corporate ladder, become the top dog, and have everyone at Q Optical working for him. And, he intends to win his way with sweetness and love. Good Boy!
She has resolved to form an association to represent the Newbury Street shop cats and dogs and make sure their rights as workers are protected.
At the moment, Sophia would like to organize a protest against the holiday window display that's keeping her from sunning herself in her favorite spot. And, if you want to join her picket line, she won't even care if you are of the canine persuasion.
Happy New Year to all our Sunday Dogs and Cats!
May you all have a happy and healthy new year and may you succeed with all your resolutions.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
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Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Here is the winter of 2012 - 2013 information on what you need to know during a snow emergency in Boston. We posted this early in the year but have moved it to the top of the page postition for this storm. If you checked in for our daily feature, it will be right below.
We'll update this article with news items as we receive them throughout the season. Subscribe to the comment feed for this post to be notified when we update this information, or follow us on Twitter.
The City of Boston, "Urges Caution, Asks Commuters to Use Public Transportation For Commute Due to Significant Ice and Sleet
Boston Public Schools: Closed Tuesday 3/19.
BCYF: Open 9:00AM-6:00PM. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at drop-off.
Street Sweeping: Posted daytime and overnight street sweeping canceled tomorrow, 3/19.
No snow emergency and parking ban at this time."
Updated: 3/19/13 7:00AM: From @MassDCR "DCR PARKING BAN @ RevereBeachBlvd, WinthropShoreDr + Ocean Ave"
General information you need to know about any snow emergency.
"Use public transportation when possible and avoid driving vehicles on slippery roads to keep roadways clear for plowing equipment and emergency vehicles.
Property owners are reminded to salt and sand sidewalks, stairs and pedestrian ramps to prevent slippery surfaces.
Residents are encouraged to shovel out hydrants and catch basins near or abutting their property to assist our public safety agencies and protect against flooding.
Please check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors who may need help.
Use caution when walking near buildings that may have falling snow or ice
Parking rules are strictly enforced during snow storms. Do not block driveways, crosswalks or ramps, and do not park within 20 feet of an intersection"
Winter storms have an impact on our lives and the city distributed "Winter Weather Facts 2012-2013" brochures to households last December to help us learn what to do. The city says,
Really great neighbors will locate and note the landmarks to find their nearest fire hydrant and work with one another to dig around it and keep it clear for the entire winter season. This community action can save lives and homes.
If the storm drain near your home is blocked with leaves and debris, you can clear it to prevent flooding when the snow melts.
Find your winter boots, shovels, windshield scrapers, sand, salt, and ice melt. (For the sake of dogs who walk barefoot on sidewalks, please choose a "Paw Safe" option when buying de-icing products.)
And, if you have a car, you may want to park it somewhere that is not signed as a "Snow Emergency Route." Here is a list of the major arteries for the Downtown Boston area with parking restrictions.
Snow Emergency Parking in Boston Neighborhoods www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking With a warning that parking regulations will be strictly enforced, the city asks of residents:
"Don't park within 20 feet of an intersection, or further than one foot from the curb."
"During a snow emergency, don't park on streets with signs declaring "Emergency Snow Artery" or "Tow Zone- Snow Emergency"."
"Disabled cars blocking the roadway must be removed as soon as possible."
"Cars parked in driveways must not extend to the sidewalk or street."
"Resident parking stickers must be visible within 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm."
"Any spacesavers® left in on-street parking spaces that have been shoveled out must be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has ended."
"After exceptional storms (snowfall exceeds two feet), the mayor may prohibit parking on the odd side of secondary roads and only allow parking on the even side, until crews can clear the snow. This is rare and has not happened since 2003."
There are off street parking spaces available to residents during the storm.
Go to the bottom of the parking page, www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking, choose your neighborhood, and you'll see a list of available parking lots and garages and what they charge under this program. Prices in private garages range from $1 to $12.50 for 24 hours. In some sections of the city municipal lots are free for those with resident stickers. All of these are on a first come, first serve basis.
Digging Out Once snow falls, you see how seldom some cars in Boston are moved. We walk by cars that sit, snow-covered, for weeks on end. If you do dig out your car, you are not supposed to put the snow onto the street or a cleared sidewalk. That adds to the fun of the job.
If you live in a section of the city with a tradition of space savers, the city says those must be and will be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has been lifted. For those new to this game, "space savers" are chairs, trash cans, and other objects that are placed in cleared and empty parking spaces to save the spot for the person who shoveled it.
Once snow, slush, or ice is on the ground someone has to remove it from sidewalks. In the city of Boston and most surrounding communities, that someone is you or the people you hire to do it for you.
There was a Supreme Court Ruling in the state. The Boston Globe says this means, "property owners now can be held liable for injuries that are linked to any snow and ice on their land, regardless of whether the conditions were caused by nature or a city plow."Here's a link to the full story on that ruling.
In Boston, the rules can be downloaded on this page from the sidebar headline that says, "An Ordinance Regarding The Prompt and Complete Removal of Snow and Ice From Sidewalks and Abutting Curb Ramps":
Between sunrise and sunset, if your building has six or fewer units, you have six hours to remove snow.
If your building has more than six units, you only have three hours.
And the degree to which you remove the snow, slush, or ice is laid out in the city ordinance.
"Removal of any slush or snow should be conducted along the full paved width of such sidewalk and in a manner that ensures the orderly flow and safety of pedestrian traffic upon such sidewalks. Removal of any slush or snow shall be conducted in a manner that clears the full paved path or a minimum of forty-two (42) inches wide."
In the case of ice, it says:
"Removal of any ice shall be in a manner consistent with the requirements of the preceding sub-section, except that any such owner, manager, or tenant shall be deemed to be in compliance with this paragraph if such ice is made level and completely covered with sand, sawdust, or other appropriate material to prevent slipping."
As to where you put the snow from your own stairs and walkways, that gets tricky because the ordinance says:
"No person shall remove slush, snow, or ice from privately-owned real property and place it upon any sidewalk or street."
French Toast AlertSystem
If you're new to the area or haven't been paying attention, you may not know this term. French Toast Alert comes from the rush to grocery stores for basic provisions (milk, bread, and eggs) when storms are predicted. Here's a link to the master page of the official French Toast Alert system for this area.
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"Snow Emergency/Parking Ban: In Effect at 12:00PM Friday 2/8
Schools: CLOSED Friday 2/8
Trash/Recycling: Collection will begin at 6AM on Friday 2/8. Please place trash & recycling out by 6AM. Crew will begin working early and shutdown when it is no longer safe to be on the roads.
Community Centers: All BCYF Community Centers & Buildings are closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
Libraries: All libraries will be closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
City Hall/Municipal Offices: Will close to the public at 12:00PM Friday 2/8.
City Employees: Essential Personnel only
Parking Meters: Normal rules apply
Tow Lot: Normal Hours
Street Cleaning: Normal Schedule
City Cemeteries: Closed until Monday 2/11
City Golf Courses: Closed until Monday 2/11
MBTA: All service will be suspended effective 3:30PM on 2/8. Visit www.mbta.comfor details.
Courts: Check with the individual courthouse for more information.
Other/Special Events*: N/A
*The City of Boston is not responsible for the cancellation or scheduling of private entertainment events or venues."
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The Boston Public Library’s (BPL) current exhibition, “Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces” tells the enthralling tale of Rafael Guastavino Sr. and the company he founded.
John Ochsendorf, PhD, a structural engineer and architectural historian from MIT, (above) describes the presentation as an opportunity to, “…celebrate the history of the Boston Public Library and also this little-known story of a Spanish architect/engineer who helped build the library.”
Beneath a Guastavino vaulted ceiling in the McKim Building in Copley Square, you’ll find a multi-media exhibition that showcases four major themes of the Guastavino story. The displays are rich with stunning photography by Michael Freeman, original drawings, and cases filled with rare artifacts.
Guastavino Technology
One of the most captivating parts of the exhibition is a half-scale replica of one of the room’s vaults with a cutaway center that exposes the genius of the system. This was constructed by MIT students and master masons. The model and its companion video demonstrate the technique used to build incredibly strong and stable arched vaults from one-inch thick tiles.
“They succeeded because they constantly innovated. They had 25 U.S. patents for different aspects of their construction system,” Ochsendorf explained. “The secret to the method was that by using a very fast-setting mortar, they could build these vaults over a room with no support from below.”
Rafael Guastavino stands on recently laid tile arch along Boylston Street, construction of the McKim Building
“The Boston Public Library is their earliest, really important project in the United States. And, from this project everything else becomes possible,” Ochsendorf said.
“In the spring of 1889 when the library was already under construction here in Copley Square, he [Guastavino] showed up on the scene quite late in the game and said, ‘I’ve got a revolutionary, fireproof system that’s ideal for your building!’ And, the fireproof was the selling point because there were major fires in the late nineteenth century in Chicago and Boston and other cities.”
The BPL was the first building where the tiles and patterns created by the company’s craftsmen were not plastered over but were exposed for the public to see and enjoy as a part of the design of the space.
“He’s got seven different kinds of vaulting throughout this building,” said Ochsendorf. “All the leading architects of the nineteenth century came and visited this building…” The McKim building became a showcase and demonstration project for Guastavino’s work. Over the next seven decades, the company would build more than 1000 buildings in 41 states.
Look Up and Join the Quest!
The team at MIT is still searching for examples of Guastavino ceilings and staircases. “We discover about one building a month. So, I’m always looking for people to submit possible buildings,” said Ochsendorf. “I’m certain there are vaulted staircases in Boston that I don’t know of yet.” You can email [email protected] with your leads on possible Guastavino vaults or staircases.
Palaces for the People is a collaboration between MIT and the BPL. Funding for the exhibition came from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Each morning, I line up my breakfast components – oatmeal, chopped nuts, raisins, and honey. I buy my honey from Keown Orchards in pound jars. Spooning honey from these can be messy and leaves the jar in need of regular cleaning to remove the residue.
Over the years, I've tried about every honey and syrup dispenser on the market. They all seem to have their drawbacks. I was about to use one of the sqeeze bottles I keep for various other kitchen uses and did one last search for "squeeze bottle" instead of honey dispenser.
I found the Japanese Squeeze Bottle you see in the photo. Its attached cap attracted me to it over the alternatives. It comes with different colored caps and has passed my daily use test with flying colors. Plus, it gives me much better control of the amount of honey I'm using.
My tip for filling it is to use the body of a cake decorating syringe. The end that would take a tip goes into the squeeze jar and the honey is poured into the wide end that would have the plunger. I let it sit for a little while after filling and most of the honey drips down into the dispenser.
Of course, it's not perfect, an occasional wipe is needed. I seal the top and run warm water over most of the bottle and then wipe it dry and give the tip a wipe with a clean hot dishcloth. But, it doesn't turn into a big mess the way other honeypots did.
Don't you love a simple and inexpensive solution to a daily annoyance? This would make a great gift for a honey lover!
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Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Gather all those user's manuals that came with your new cameras, games, appliances, computers, etc. and send them to "The Cloud." With the ease of use of cloud computing, there is no reason to rely on paper copies of instructions.
If we were to carry the paper copies of our camera manuals with us on photo shoots and trips, it would add 1 lb 12 oz to our luggage. Besides, we still might not have them with us when we have a question or have the time to explore and learn more about the many options this equipment offers.
Here's our user's manual procedure:
Download a copy of the manual from the manufacturer's site and save it as a PDF. (We normally download and review a user's manual before we buy a product. You'd be amazed how often this makes a difference in what we buy.)
Upload the PDF to Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox. We use Google Drive and Dropbox all day long so they're our choice for manuals.
Pack away the physical manual in case we ever want to sell the item.
Enjoy having our manual available anywhere, anytime via our computers, phones, or tablets.
Bonus tip: Before you recycle a box that an item came in, take a photo of the label that contains the barcode, serial number, and model information codes and send that to the cloud. It can come in handy in case of a recall, loss, or theft.
It's usually months after using a new camera or computer that a quick look through the manual has one of us suddenly exploring a new option or trying out an alternative setting. This way we can explore the manuals while waiting for an appointment, sitting on a park bench, or at home.
Opening a Dropbox account from here is another way to support this site.
If you sign up from this Dropbox link, Dropbox will give both you and us bonus storage space. You can sign up for a free account to try it out, and you'll start with 2GB plus your bonus.
We understand that it also works well on the PC side of the computing fence. Dropbox has received rave reviews from The Economist, Forbes, and Wired. And the service has been given major awards by MacWorld and PC Magazine.
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
All products featured on BostonZest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
. He has worked with the BPL and the 
. The end that would take a tip goes into the squeeze jar and the honey is poured into the wide end that would have the plunger. I let it sit for a little while after filling and most of the honey drips down into the dispenser. 
